The POTUS 2016 election was held on November 8, 2016 after a massive campaign
between the Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. During the entire
campaign, Clinton featured at the top of every election-eve poll which pointed her comfortable
victory. It latter turned into a great surprise to many when Donald Trump emerged the winner.
In this essay we shall discuss the some of the foreign policies offered by Hillary Clinton during
her campaign for the 2016 poll. Despite her lose for the bid; Clinton had several beneficial
international policies not only to the United States but to the world as a whole. Some of these
policies were in line with the international relation theories.
During her campaign, Clinton promised for a Two-state solution agreement between
United States and Israel. She commented that a stable US-Israel relation was highly required by
the moment. She added that America needed Israel to be strong enough to defend itself against
its enemies, to work closely with US to tackle the common problems and most importantly to
take great steps in the fight to restore peace. The two-State agreement policy between US and
Israel as promised by Clinton was a true indicator of future unity between the two countries. This
could enhance peace and good economic relationship.
Hilary Clinton also approved of the peace agreement between the government of
Colombia and the rebel FARC group in her campaign forum held on August 25, 2016. She
promised that when elected as the president of the United States, she will ensure that US remains
a strong partner with Colombian government in the entire process of restoring peace between the
duos. She added that security and safety of the rest of the world could be greatly strengthened by
Colombian success towards their struggle for peace.
Clinton advocated for women empowerment across the globe. She sighted an example of
the mistreatment of the Afghanistan women by the Taliban militia group, an act the she as
inhuman. Clinton was willing to build on a legislation which could provide better education and
health care assistance to the Afghanistan women and children. She also promised to offer
training of women in matters pertaining leadership in order to promote civil society and
Democracy. This policy of advocating for sustainable international women and children rights,
as promised by Clinton was a major ingredient in her campaign towards clinching the 2016
POTUS polls.
Clinton also reversed her pervious stand of considering Jerusalem as the capital city of
Israel. During her campaign she opposed the US statement considering Jerusalem as the capital
of Israel. She explained that the previous stand of America over the matter was seriously
compromising with the ability of US to work with Israel and other neighboring countries on
restoring peace in the region. She added that in her government, she will push on the American
policy to remain neutral in all sovereignty issues, leaving Israel, Palestine and the other countries
into fruitful negotiation.
Hillary Clinton promised to develop stable partnership and collaboration with African
union, boosting trade and increasing aid to strengthen African domestic economy. She promised
to help African partners improve their ability to respond to crisis other challenges. Her
government could also ensure maximum support on the fight against terrorism such as alShaabab, Boko Haram, ISIS and AQIM. She also vowed to protect ad conserve the iconic
wildlife in Africa through imposing banns on importation of wildlife related products such as
ivory in the United States.
The foreign policies advocated for by Clinton during her campaign were consistently in
line with IR theories such as liberalism and Neoidealism. These theories advocates for each state
to have its own democratic form of government. It also advocates for intervention in the working
of other states in promoting stability before finally transferring democratic principles to that
country. This is well depicted in Clinton’s vast support for NATO, a moral act in stabilizing
peace in Yugoslavia. Post-liberalism theory is also seen when Clinton advocates for sovereignty
in Israel by not reversing her previous stand in considering Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
This theory reveals that in the modern world, states should be driven to cooperate in order to
maximize security and sovereign interest.
I strongly agree with Hillary Clinton’s foreign policies since they are consistent with
some of the important IR theories as well as their beneficial to global economic development.
Using the International system analysis level, peace and democracy should be applied in
international politics through interventions and ideal situations. These were all Clinton’s
advocacy during her entire campaign. Ideally, peace and good international relations between
countries is the most essential factor in promotion of the current world economy, and that’s why
I agree with her ideologies.
Another level of analysis that backs my agreement with Clinton’s policies is
“Individual”. According to this level, moral principles of a person can translated into that of the
nation. It means existence of a democratic government can also be used as a media for
transferring these morals to other nations. Clinton had good motives in transforming the United
States and making it stand as a role model to other nations as far as Democracy, peace, good
international relation, women empowerment, and economic development are concerned.